By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA — The Anambra State Government has announced plans to deploy health surveillance officers to strategic locations, including the Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri, motor parks, banks and other public gathering places, following the reported confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Ben Obidike, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Awka, saying the measures were aimed at preventing the spread of the disease into the state.
He said surveillance officers would screen passengers arriving in Anambra from Abuja, Lagos and other parts of Africa as part of efforts to strengthen disease monitoring and early detection.
Obidike appealed to residents not to panic, assuring them that the state government was taking steps to protect public health.
“We urge residents to remain calm, remain vigilant and cooperate with public health authorities,” he said.
The commissioner disclosed that the state had followed up 40 persons of interest, adding that 33 had completed their monitoring period and been cleared, while seven remained under active follow-up.
He said all seven persons still being monitored were stable.
“Beyond individual monitoring, the state has undertaken preparedness work to support a coordinated response,” he said.
According to him, members of the state surveillance team have participated in a two-day online training organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on monitoring persons of interest.
He added that designated officers had been assigned monitoring responsibilities, while the state maintained coordination with national surveillance counterparts on individuals referred for follow-up.
These arrangements, he said, would ensure clear allocation of responsibilities and enable concerns to be promptly escalated to the State Epidemiology Unit.
The commissioner said Anambra had also developed an Ebola preparedness and operational plan covering surveillance, rapid response, infection prevention and control, laboratory coordination, referral arrangements, risk communication and logistics.
He explained that implementation of the plan would be guided by assessed needs and available resources.
“Our surveillance network across the 21 local government areas of the state, Chinua Achebe International Airport, motor parks, banks and other places remains central to preparedness,” he said.
Obidike urged Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, health facilities and community reporting structures to remain alert and promptly report unusual illnesses or deaths for public health assessment.
He also advised healthcare workers to maintain standard infection prevention and control precautions when attending to patients, obtain relevant travel and exposure histories, and promptly notify surveillance authorities whenever Ebola was suspected.
Suspected cases, he said, should be managed with appropriate precautions, with referrals coordinated through designated public health channels.
The commissioner further advised residents who developed fever or other concerning symptoms after relevant travel or contact with a suspected Ebola patient to contact health authorities promptly and disclose their travel or exposure history.
He urged such individuals to call ahead before visiting a health facility to allow health workers to make appropriate arrangements.
Obidike also called on residents to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick persons, and refrain from handling the bodies of people who died from unexplained illnesses.
He warned against spreading rumours or identifying individuals under monitoring, urging the public to rely on verified information from health authorities.
“Anambra State’s preparedness depends on early reporting, cooperation and trust,” the commissioner said.
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